


deep yellow

by suhnshine (foreverjohnny)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, I think all I need to say is hyuck big spoon, M/M, but only a tiny little bit, its just hyuckil love, literally just soft n fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 13:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20675906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverjohnny/pseuds/suhnshine
Summary: It's been a long, difficult day for Taeil, and Donghyuck is the only one who notices.





	deep yellow

**Author's Note:**

> for alex.
> 
> this took me much longer than it should have for such a short piece, but nonetheless, i am quite proud of it! i hope you enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it!
> 
> this can be read as either platonic or romantic. whatever you prefer :)

Taeil is on the cusp of drifting off to sleep when he hears his bedroom door being pushed slowly open. A strip of light streams in from the hallway and the other member’s voices can vaguely be heard drifting down the corridor.

“Hyung?”

Donghyuck’s voice rings out quietly from the doorway. Taeil smiles, eyes shut and unmoving. He knew it would be Donghyuck the moment the door opened.

Without waiting for a response, Donghyuck slips into the room and shuts the door behind him with a click, bathing the room in darkness once again. Socked feet pad across the carpet on muscle memory alone and soon enough Taeil feels the bed dip behind him. There’s a rustling as Donghyuck lifts up the duvet and slides underneath.

Taeil doesn’t dare to move.

“Hyung?” Donghyuck repeats, no more than a whisper.

“Hey, sunshine.” Taeil murmurs in response. He turns slightly, squinting through the dark at the boy behind him. He can just about make him out, Donghyuck’s profile illuminated by the low light from the window. The slope of his nose, his sleepily pouting lips, his messy curly hair.

“Can I?” Donghyuck asks permission, always has, always will, even though Taeil’s answer will unwaveringly be yes, _ please. _

Taeil nods as he turns back to face the wall, the slightest movement of his head. He feels Donghyuck’s shoulders hunch slightly in happiness as he wiggles closer, reaching out a hand to trace along Taeil’s spine.

Taeil has always slept shirtless. It’s never seemed to bother Donghyuck, who sleeps bathed in oversized shirts that reach his knees and have sleeves that hang down past his fingertips. In fact, Donghyuck seems to prefer it; he seems to prefer being able to ghost his fingertips over Taeil’s skin, enjoys the way that he can feel the ripple of goosebumps that the pads of his fingers leave in their wake.

He’s never said so, but Taeil prefers it too.

He used to sleep shirtless for comfort. Now he sleeps shirtless for Donghyuck’s cuddles.

Donghyuck lightly presses his palm flat against Taeil’s back. The material of his sleep shirt is soft and worn, serving as the only barrier between skin on skin. It’s maddening. A gentle warmth radiates between them, increasing painfully slowly as Donghyuck begins to snake his arm around Taeil’s waist.

With every inch of Taeil’s abdomen that becomes ensnared in Donghyuck’s grip, Donghyuck edges closer until his stomach is pressed flush against Taeil’s back.

Taeil smiles to himself, into the darkness, amused at how even after countless times of doing this Donghyuck is still nervous. As if there’s a chance that Taeil would turn around and tell him to get off, to get out.

But God, he wouldn’t dare.

Donghyuck’s body is a solid wall of warmth against Taeil. Unconsciously, he leans back against him, trying to mould his body into Donghyuck’s. In response, Donghyuck’s arms tighten around his waist and he brushes his nose against the nape of Taeil’s neck.

Even without facing him, Taeil can catch the faintest hint of Donghyuck’s sweet floral scent. In their proximity, the smell washes over him, easing the tension in his muscles with its familiarity. He hopes Donghyuck gleans the same kind of relief from him, too—and if the way Donghyuck presses his nose into Taeil’s shoulder and inhales deeply is anything to go by, he definitely does.

“Did you shower?” Donghyuck murmurs. The words tingle against the sensitive area where neck becomes shoulder. 

Taeil hums. “Yeah.” 

They lie in silence for a while, basking in each other’s presence. Taeil gently places his hand over Donghyuck’s on his stomach, wiggling his fingers until they’re laced with Donghyuck’s own. Their hands fit together like two halves of a whole, even like this; Taeil rubs his thumb over the side of Donghyuck’s palm. It’s a silent thank you, a silent I love you, I’m grateful for you.

He feels Donghyuck’s lips curl into a smile against his neck.

“Hyuck?” Taeil voices, teeth worrying over his bottom lip.

“Yeah?”

“I’m worried.”

He feels Donghyuck stiffen momentarily, before relaxing again. A leg is thrown over Taeil’s hip; their legs become tangled, socked feet brushing together under the duvet. Donghyuck pulls his hand from Taeil’s grip—Taeil whines, mourning the loss—only to begin to trail his fingers up and down his bare arm. “About what?”

“Everything.” Taeil sighs. Donghyuck feels his body shudder in upset, but waits for Taeil to continue.

It’s easier to speak like this, late in the dark. Wrapped up in each other, alone, Taeil feels safe enough to voice his concerns without worry. He speaks into the darkness, into the silence, and Donghyuck listens. They confide in each other. Comfort each other. Skin on skin, the words shared between them are private and honest.

“I don’t know what to do to be better, Hyuck…” Taeil lowers his head slightly, eyes clenched shut and lips pressed together. He won’t cry. Not tonight.

Donghyuck shushes him gently, breath ghosting over Taeil’s shoulder. “You’re enough, hyung. I promise you.”

“But what if I’m not?” The worry continues to eat away at him, an ongoing concern of lacking, of failure. Today’s recording session had been the cement in the towering brick wall of Taeil’s worries. He’s thankful that the other members hadn’t been there to see him fall apart, but he should have known that Donghyuck would notice. Donghyuck knows him better than he knows himself; of course he would see through Taeil’s mask. It was inevitable.

But Donghyuck also knows what Taeil needs.

“You tried your best though, right?”

Taeil nods, a slight movement.

“Then you should be proud. It’s not easy, being you. I know that.” Donghyuck continues, voice soft and reassuring. “I know you have a hard time dealing with the pressure and the expectations. But we’re all so, so proud of you, hyung. You’re so strong and you have such a beautiful voice. We wouldn’t be us without you—we need you, hyung.” And then, speaking so quietly Taeil almost doesn’t catch his last words, Donghyuck adds: “_ I _ need you.”

Taeil inhales slowly, letting Donghyuck’s words sink in. It’s not enough to cure the deep intensity of the guilty ache in his stomach, but it’s enough to quell and soothe, and Taeil feels some of the tension seep out from his shoulders.

“Donghyuck?” Taeil speaks slowly, feeling suddenly shy. “I love you.”

It’s nothing he hasn’t said before, but the words are different now. They’re loaded, weighed down by their intimacy and their intent. He speaks quietly but the sound of his voice is deafening to Donghyuck. The confession cuts through the dark sharply like a bolt of lightning, fast and fierce and powerful, shooting Donghyuck straight in the heart. Fondness blooms in his chest as the younger boy feels the way Taeil’s body heats up as he speaks. He could swear that Taeil’s golden skin is truly glowing against the shadows, and feels his own tingle with electricity. 

It’s rare, this kind of honesty and openness from Taeil.

Donghyuck responds by pressing his lips to that same sensitive stretch of skin at the base of his neck. Taeil exhales sharply, surprised, as Donghyuck continues to press small, slow kisses along his shoulder. His lips are soft. Slightly chapped, but soft and plush nonetheless. Each kiss is light as a feather; delicate in a way that Donghyuck usually isn’t with the members.

“I know.” He says, moving to rest his forehead against the nape of Taeil’s neck. He slips his hand around Taeil’s waist again, trailing his fingers down the smooth expanse of his abdomen until they hit the dip of his belly button. “I love you too. My love, Moon Taeil.” Donghyuck’s eyes flutter shut. He bites his lip and wraps himself closer around Taeil’s small frame as a shy smile spreads across his face.

Taeil feels his cheeks flush. He inadvertently lets out a yawn as he basks in Donghyuck’s presence enveloped around him.

Donghyuck coos. “Tired, hyung?” He brings his hand up to run his hand through Taeil’s hair, ruffling it and then tucking it back into place gently. 

Taeil tries to deny it, but his efforts are foiled as another tiny yawn breaks free. Donghyuck giggles and tickles his stomach lightly.

“You are.” He teases.

Taeil whines and arches his back away from Donghyuck’s nimble fingers, but he snuggles back against the younger boy almost immediately. Sleep is rolling in like a storm, the dark clouds of fatigue taking a toll on him. He can feel his consciousness slipping, encouraged by the way Donghyuck traces hypnotic patterns on his stomach. 

“Sing for me, sunshine.” Taeil requests, his words slurred and drowsy. “Please.”

Donghyuck hums and adjusts himself slightly, shifting so he can get comfortable. His sleeves slip over his hands again; he continues to caress the soft flesh of Taeil’s tummy with the pad of his thumb, the only part that sticks out over the cuff of his sleeve. He continues to hum, mostly to himself, finding the tune. Through his sleep induced haze, Taeil recognises the sound as Timeless.

His grip on Donghyuck’s wrist tightens slightly. He relaxes against Donghyuck, letting the younger boy support him completely, and waits.

Uncharacteristically quiet, Donghyuck begins to sing. The words fall from his mouth as though the song was made for him: his voice sounds like honey, warm and syrupy as it washes over Taeil.

The lyrics are wistful. Donghyuck sings them with a lot of sadness and longing, but even then with his eyes shut they’re intense enough to paint a picture in his mind. It’s deep yellow and warm burnt terracotta, striking like a roaring orange sky at sunset. Donghyuck buries his face in the back of Taeil’s head as he sings his lullaby, the words getting lost amongst the older man’s untidy hair.

Taeil feels warm. Safe.

As the song finishes, and Donghyuck continues to hum, Taeil feels himself succumb to sleep.

He goes willingly, with the feeling of Donghyuck’s lips resting against his skin, and the sound of his song lingering in his ears.

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you thought! :}
> 
> twitter: @weiwuxiians


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